Observatory House and the City Observatory; photo Paul Andrews.

Observatory House and the City Observatory; photo Paul Andrews.

Doors Open Days at Collective

Tours

24 — 25 Sep 2022  

Hourly Tours 

Collective

Collective is delighted to be taking part in Doors Open Days 2022, with a chance to visit both Observatory House and the McEwan Dome, which are not usually accessible to the public.

Doors Open Days is Scotland’s largest free festival that celebrates heritage and the built environment. It offers free access to over a thousand venues across the country each September. The aim of Doors Open Days is to ensure that Scotland’s spaces and stories, new and old, are made accessible to people living and visiting the country.

Please note that due to the historic nature of the architecture, there is no step-free access to Observatory House or McEwan Dome. Other spaces within the City Observatory and the wider site are accessible to all.

Book your tour on 24 or 25 September here.

About Observatory House

Dating back to 1776, Observatory House represents the very first attempt to develop an astronomical observatory on Calton Hill. Recently restored by Collective and including newly commissioned artwork by four contemporary artists, Observatory House is now available to rent as a holiday let, with proceeds helping to support our year round work with artists and communities.

About McEwan Dome

The City Observatory, designed by William Henry Playfair in 1818, gained Royal status after King George IV’s 1822 visit to Edinburgh. The neoclassical building houses a number of historic telescopes: the Transit telescope on the ground floor, and the Cooke telescope within the McEwan Dome, which is not usually accessible to the public.